Not all humans are fond of pets or are required to have them, but they are something to behold. I myself have no children of my own, but raising a cat leveled up my maturity. While the required time and attention varies per pet, all of them is a responsibility.
If you’ve just started raising a cat, dog, turtle or looking into getting or adopting your own, read on. Three of our DBS members shared their beloved pets and tips for first-time pet owners on this blog post. I hope the tips are helpful for you to succeed in your new endeavor and genuine love for pets.
Tips for First-time Pet Owners: Cats
Perdita, Athina’s Maldita Girl
“As a furparent for 5 years to a moody Persian Cat named Perdita (Persian na Maldita), one piece of advice I can give to first-time pet owners is to allow themselves and their pets to adjust. It wasn’t a walk in the park for Perdita and me when she first came into my life. Aside from the fact that it was my first time to own a cat of that certain breed, Perdita is the type of cat that needed more attention than regular cats.
Perdita sports a natural long fur coat that needs to be brushed every single day, and that was something I had to adjust to. I also had to adjust to having a pet that is not as sweet as dogs, but Perdita was still sweet when she feels like it, lol. Also, give your pet space when exploring his or her new home. It will take days, weeks, and months, even, before they adapt to their new environment. So just give them time, and everything will be on track eventually.”
-Athina of I am Mrs. A. Follow her blog and Instagram profile.
Studio photos were shot by Jowe Posadas.
T.Moe Strangelove Suits NeP-C Like a Glove
I’ve had my pusakal/puspin (domestic shorthair) T.Moe Strangelove for almost 8 years now. T.Moe was given to me by a family friend when he was just two months old (after being weaned from his mother).
Despite being a domestic shorthair, T.Moe has always been an indoor cat. Hence, he’s always frightened whenever he has to leave the house, like going to the vet. However, he has become a spoiled brat with a fierce and moody personality.?
Raising T.Moe is quite a breeze now because I got to know what he likes and what’s right for him–like the food that suits his palette (he’s quite picky). It’s a good thing he likes the taste of healthy cat food like Orijen and Evo. However, it took me almost 2 years of research and trial and error to master what’s perfect for T.Moe.
If you’re planning to raise a cat, make sure that you’re in it because you genuinely love them. I’ve heard of some people who would buy certain breeds for the sake of having them as status symbols and not take care of them in the long run. While cats are easier to tend than dogs, they also need time and attention (e.g., cleaning up and changing their cat litter, choosing healthier cat food, bringing them to the vet for their yearly shots, etc.).
Spaying or neutering your cats is also required, as it will help them be less aggressive and stop over-reproducing. Spaying also has health and beauty benefits (they will grow plump and fluffy faster, especially if you feed them the right and take care of them).
Additional tip: Street cats or pusakal or puspin or domestic shorthair cats are the less sensitive type. They have excellent immune systems and survive longer than cats with foreign breeds. If you take care of them properly, they will grow to be very pretty (as pretty or even prettier than cats with foreign breeds). #AdoptDon’tShop.
– NeP-C Ledesma of The Pop Blog. Follow her blog, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
Tips for First-time Pet Owners: Dogs
Peachy, Gem’s Dreamy Lil’ Baby
“I started owning a dog last year when I got Peachy. Peachy is a mixed breed dog of Shihpoo and Japanese Spitz. While we already have a bunch of dogs back home in GenSan, getting one for myself to stay with me here in Davao is no easy feat. You can read the full story here: LINK
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For first-time owners, I highly recommend that the first thing you need to do is to prepare your fur baby’s basic needs. It doesn’t matter if you have zero knowledge when getting a furbaby for the first time. What matters most is you’re able to provide the right amount of care they need, like proper food nutrition as recommended by your vet, as well as vitamins, treats, toys, and their own bed. While not all dogs are high-maintenance, they really demand social interaction and physical care — at least that doesn’t cost you anything.”
-Gem of Pages Flipper. Follow his blog, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
Jeffrey’s Beloved Emma who Takes Away all of his Dilemmas
Follow Jeffrey’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok profiles.
Tips for First-time Pet Owners: Turtles
NeP-C’s Slowpoke Buddies that are as Lucky as Puppies
We have six turtles in the house–two of which are Japanese pond turtles and four local ones. I named the local ones after my favorite 90s loveteams: Judy Ann and Wowie, Jolina and Marvin, and named the two Japanese turtles after Hana Yori Dango’s main lovebirds, Tsukasa and Tsukushi. While turtles seem easy to raise and are great for home display, they require care and attention too.
Both my Japanese and local turtles have different personalities, especially when it comes to eating. I always take around 15 minutes to feed them because the Japanese breed turtles are quite foodies. They move fast and eat a lot of feeds in no time, whereas the local turtles are so slow and take a lot of time. Tsukasa and Tsukushi tend to consume everything even before the others have eaten. Hence, I make sure that both breeds are on the opposite side of each other during mealtime so that the Japanese ones won’t eat the share of the local turtles.
My brother said that it’s easy to take care of turtles, as they can last up to a hundred years. They also don’t need thorough attention. However, I always take the time every day to clean up the water in their pond and replace it. I also take into consideration the type of food I buy for them. My father used to buy the larger pellets, but when I took over the turtle-keeping duties, I found out that the local turtles have a hard time eating the larger nibbles. Hence, I bought the smaller ones for them and the usual ones for the Japanese turtles.
Turtles are quite easy to maintain, but you should have a tank or pond where they can live. If possible, build them a place where there’s both water/wet and land/dry area, with surrounding green plants so that they can choose where to hang out or if they need to hibernate. Make sure that you take time to clean their tanks (‘coz they need fresh water every day) and see what else they need, like the type of food they prefer. Lastly, they are better to look at than be touched. Minimize touching or playing with them, or they may bite or hibernate (because of stress).
– NeP-C Ledesma of Electricmoi. Follow her blog, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
Those are some of the DBS members’ pets. We hope that you noted some of the advice for raising cats, dogs, and turtles. Good research is key to successfully raising them. Most of all, your pure and genuine love for them will manifest in their physical appearance, health, and well-being.
Article written and answers compiled by NeP-C Ledesma of The Pop Blog and electricmoi
